SOUTHPORT, N.C. — Fireworks are as American as baseball, hotdogs, and apple pie. Since the founding of our nation, families have taken to their backyards and neighborhoods to use fireworks in celebration of Independence Day. As the Fourth of July rapidly approaches, Americans are stocking up with consumer fireworks to celebrate their pride and patriotism.
Last year, more families than ever took to neighborhood parks, street cul-de-sacs, and backyards to celebrate Independence Day using fireworks. Early sales reports from fireworks retailers across the nation indicate that they will do the same this year. Americans are stocking up with cones, fountains, sparklers, and other types of consumer fireworks as they form their Holiday weekend plans.
“As families prepare to celebrate our nation’s independence and the freedom we enjoy, safety must be a top priority,” cautioned Julie L. Heckman, Executive Director of the American Pyrotechnics Safety & Education Foundation (APSEF). It is important that families take the time to plan their fireworks celebrations by selecting a safe location, one that has a flat surface and is located away from structures and free of debris. Additionally, make certain to read and follow all instructions for use and keep spectators at a safe distance.”
To help families celebrate safely, the APSEF is pleased to announce the release of nine brief fireworks videos that consumers can reference to help ensure a legal, safe, and fun celebration. The videos are aimed at educating the public about the safe use of legal consumer fireworks, providing tips on proper use, selecting the right location, audience safety, and disposal. Recognizing sparklers and reloadable aerial shells are popular items and attributable to a large percentage of fireworks-related injuries, the foundation also produced specific videos to address their safe and proper usage.
The safety video series can be viewed on the Foundation’s website, www.celebratesafely.org.
“We developed these educational videos and will be sharing them with the public across social media platforms to help consumers prioritize safety and adhere to legal guidelines,” asserted Julie Heckman. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure consumers can fully embrace the Holiday season, while remaining fully aware of the crucial need to handle fireworks both safely and responsibly.”
The APSEF also encourages families to observe local laws and be especially mindful of restrictions on fireworks usage in areas affected by dry or drought conditions. Consumers are also encouraged to be considerate of their neighbors as unexpected fireworks noise can be disruptive for military veterans, families with young children, and pets.
The public can learn more about how to #CelebrateSafely by downloading these easy-to-follow fireworks safety tips at https://www.celebratesafely.org/assets/FactSheets/apsef-safetyflyer-final-2016.pdf.
Remember to #CelebrateSafely this 4th of July!
About the American Pyrotechnics Safety & Education Foundation
The APSEF is a 501 C (3) charitable organization focused on creating fireworks safety and education programs for youth. The goal of this education initiative, Celebrate Safely, is to instill in young people an understanding of how consumer fireworks should be used appropriately, discourage the misuse of fireworks, and decrease the number of fireworks-related injuries in the U.S. Additional information about the foundation, including educational curriculum, videos, and safety tips can be found on the APSEF website at http://www.celebratesafely.org
Source: American Pyrotechnics Safety & Education Foundation